Bracing means for coke oven batteries



Sept 4, 1955 P. VAN ACKEREN 2,751,827

BRACING MEANS FOR COKE OVEN BATTERIES Filed Aug, 9, 1952 3 Shets-Sheet 1 Fig. 1

Sept. 4, 1956 P. VAN ACKEREN 2,761,827

BRACING MEANS FOR COKE. OVEN BATTERIES Filed Aug. 9, 1952 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 0i; gwwau;

ATTQQA/E r M 4, 1956 P. VAN ACKEREN 2,761,827

BRACING yams FOR COKE OVEN BATTERIES Filed Aug. 9, 1952 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 United States Patent F BRACHNG MEANS Fon COKE OVEN BATTERIES Application August 9, 1952, Serial No. 303,498

Claims. (Cl. 202-268) Y The present invention is concerned with bracing means for coke oven batteries, which means comprise upper and lower tie means, such as rods which pass through the oven roof and through the masonry of the oven structure beneath the regenerator, which latter lie below the oven chambers, these tie rods serving to brace the oven masonry by hearing against vertical buckstays which are applied against the side faces of this masonry.

Coke oven batteries are generally built on a concrete foundation, and between the foundation and the lower part of the oven structure, the expansion is less than the upper more highly heated parts, and so in such lower region there are arranged blocks or bricks of .low coeihcient of'expansion, for example red brick, which only expand a small amount. The lower of the two upper and lower tie rods, which serve for bracing the oven masonry, and which is connected at its two ends to the buckstays, is often passed through this red brickwork. Since the oven masonry proper, which is composed of refractory blocks, such as silica bricks of relatively high coeflicient of expansion, undergoes a marked expansion, particularly where most subject to the heating temperature, it is impossible to brace both the upper refractory masonry and the lower brickwork arranged between the bottom structure of the oven and the foundation, by the same tie means, such as rods, without using special ancillary means. The expedienthas therefore been adopted of disposing, in the layer of brickwork immediately beneath the bottom structure of the oven, 21 second tie means or rod which is tightened up against this layer but is independent of the vertical buckstays, with the object of maintaining this layer of brickwork independently under tension and preventing rupture of the brick courses thereof.

It is an object of this invention to construct the complete bracing means in such a way as to dispense with a special bracing of the brickwork between the bottom structure of the oven and the foundation.

To this end, the invention resides, in its preferred form, in passing each bottom tie means, in the form of a tie rod, which serves to press the vertical buckstays at both sides of the oven battery against the masonry of the latter, through the non-refractory blocks or brickwork of low coeflicient of expansion beneath the bottom structure of the oven, and at the same time using the lower tie rods also for bracing this brickwork by arranging one or more pressure distributing members, through which the tie rod passes, on both sides of the battery against this layer of brickwork, and having a pressure-transmitting extension spacer-element applied thereagainst under pressure, by means of a first nut adjustable on the tie rod, by which means this brickwork layer is also held under compression independently of pressure exerted on the buckstays by a second nut also adjustable on the same tie rod.

The pressure distributing member applied against the non-refractory brickwork and serving to brace the same can be associated with each tie rod or with a series of tie rods jointly. The pressure distributing member may, for

2,761,827 Patented Sept. 4, 1956 example, be constituted of a profile iron, such as an I-iron, a double U-iron, or the like, which extends over a substantial part of the length of the non-refractory brickwork.

The extension spacer element which is held under pressure by the first nut against the pressure distributing member that is applied against the non-refractory brickwork may, for example, be constituted of a tube threaded over the end of the tie rod. Instead it is feasible to use profile irons or the like as such spacer means, particularly when one such means is used in common for a plurality of tie rods.

To facilitate the tightening up and loosening of the first nut on the tie rod, which first nut operates against this spacer element, according to a further feature of the invention, an additional pressure-distributing extension spacer-element is arranged as an extension between the adjacent vertical buckstay and the second nut adjustable on the tie rod for the purpose of tightening the buckstay against the brickwork. According to yet another feature of the invention this additional spacer element for the second nut is in the form of a tubular member of larger diameter than the first nut and the tie rod, having an aperture for the passage of a key wrench, whereby the tightening of the first nut against its spacer element when acting on the pressure distributing member for the nonrefractory brickwork can be adjusted through this aperture. It is to be understood, however, that the extension spacer element of the second nut that is applied against the vertical buckstays also may be constituted by profile irons or the like, two for example of which may be provided at such a distance from one another and, if desired, extend over a plurality of buckstays so that the clear space between these spacer elements is suficient to provide for adjustment of the first nut serving to hold the nonrefractory brickwork under tension independently of the buckstays.

By a further feature of the invention, each .vertical buckstay is forked in the vicinity of the corresponding lower tie rod, which rod passes through this forked part of the buckstay. i

The invention further envisages the arrangement in which a tie rod passes freely through a tube embedded in the brickwork. Such a disposal of the tie means allows for ready replacement should there be a breakage therein or should it deteriorate with age.

The invention further includes the feature whereby the vertical buckstays are provided in the vicinity of the lower tie rod with rigid brackets which project into the pressure distributing members that bear against the layer of brickwork in such a way as to preclude the buckstays being dragged upwards when the oven is heated up.

In using the bracing means provided in accordance with the present invention in coke oven batteries, a substantial saving in material is obtained as a result of the omission of a secondary and separate bracing for the layer of brickwork on which the bottom structure of the oven rests. At the present time, the saved material amounts to several tons by weight, even in the case of a relatively small oven battery. Quite apart from this, the two types of bracing means (i. e. ties and buckstays) which are connected together can readily be independently serviced. Furthermore, by virtue of the arrangement according to the invention, the vertical buckstays are positively held against any vertical shifting. Finally, the tie rods for effecting the main bracing of the oven masonry is dis- .posed in a zone which is protected from heat and corheating walls (not shown), and having regenerators 2 dis' posed therebeneath. The heating medium to be preheated is supplied to the regenerators 2 through regenerator sole conduits 3 via passages and pipe bends not illustrated in the drawings, and the waste heat is likewise led off by such means into the waste heat conduits 4 located beneath the regenerators.

longitudinal sides of the battery, are vertical buckstays 5 which are pressed against this masonry at the top by means of tie rods 6, which pass across the oven roof and aretightened by means of adjustable nuts 7. Atthe lower part of the oven structure this pressing of the vertical buckstays 5 against the oven masonry is effected by tie rods 8 and second nuts 9 adjustable thereon.

The upper oven masonry is made up of refractory blocks, for example silica bricks, and extends as far as the sole 10 of the regenerators. Arranged beneath the regenerator sole, which is additionally provided with a layer of refractory blocks or bricks, is a-masonry layer 11 composed, in the preferred form of the invention, of several courses of red brick. This brick-work layer 11, in the example illustrated, is extended downwards and contains the waste gas conduits 4 and air evacuation channels 12; The red brickwork is supported by a concrete foundation plate or mat 13.

Should the oven battery be composed of under-jet fired ovens which are equipped with appropriate accessible r 15 Applied against the masonry of the ovens, at both two flanges of these irons to the appropriate width and height. At this forked part, the buckstay is reinforced by walls 25 which are welded to the buckstay and which run into the central web 24, being at an oblique angle at their upper ends 26. Brackets 27, formed by fishplates, angle irons or the like, aredisposed on either side of the vertical reinforcing walls 25 substantially at the middle height of the pressure member 17, these terminating in the pressure distributing member 17. beneath the boxform part22 which extends. outwards from the central vertical plate 18. A clearance is left between the lower side 2s (Fig. 3) of the box-form part 22 of the pressure distributing member 17 and the brackets 27, and wedges 29 are driven into the space so formed. Advantageously integral powerful wedges are employed, and any clearances occurring when the plant is set up are filled by shims or plates 30. By this means the buckstays 5 are held against vertical displacement by the coaction of members 17 and tie rods. 8.v A pressure-transmitting extension spacer-element in the form of a tubular body 31 (Fig.3) of'large diameter is mounted between the buckstay 5 and the second nut 9, adjustable on the end of the tie rod 8 to press the buckstay 5 against the oven masonry 15, this being provided with washers 32 integral therewith or welded thereto and forming a pressure-transmission extension of: second nut 9. Mounted between p this tubular body 31, or its outerwasher 32, and the secondnut 9 are cushion members in the form of plate springs 33 which to some extent absorb the pressure of the expanding oven masonry just as wooden blocks have done heretofore. The body 31 is provided with an ap erture 34 at its .upper partof sufficient dimensions to enable a first nut 35 on the tie'rod 8 to be turned by means of a key wrench passed throughthe aperture- The first nut 35 is applied against a pressure-transmitting extension thereof'in the form of a spacertube 36 which foundation basement chambers to enable the supply of rich' gas to be regulated therefrom, these foundationchambers are made of concrete, in which case the red brickwork beneath the regenerator sole channels 3 consists of a few courses only, which rest directlyon a concrete plate or pad. I

The lower tie rods 8, which, in the preferred embodiment of the invention, pass through the red brickwork, are disposed in a tube 14 which is embedded in this brickwork. There is suflicient clearance between a tie rod 8 and its tube 14 to enable the rod to be readily slipped through the pipe and replaced. V

As can be observed from Figure'Z the brickwork 11 I is set back somewhat in the vicinity of certain of the courses through which the tie rod S passes, so that a rabbet or recess 16 is formed relative to the correspond ing longitudinal side 15 of the oven battery. Applied against the wall of this recess isan abutting pressure distributing member 17 of cast. iron. This member 17 consists substantially of a vertical plate 18 connected to a box-like frame 19, the end surface of which bears in pressure exerting relation against the red brick. The V I plate 18 is apertured at 20 to allow the passage of the 1 tie rod 8, and an axial extension piece 21, preferably of cylindrical form, is also arranged around the aperture '20 and likewise bears against the wall of recess 16 in the brickwork 11. A box-form part 22, open at its lower side, is connected to the" top of plate 18 at the inner buckstay side, this part 22 extending downwardly to approximately the vertical medial plane (28, Fig. 3) of the pressure member 17. The hollow chambers 38 in the pressure member 17 are filled with concrete for distribution of pressure with the object of reducing the specific superficial pressure against the brickwork 11.

As can be seen from Figure 3, the lower part of the buckstay 5 is forked, and the tie rod 8. passes through the opening 23 in the fork. The opening .23 is formed by cutting away the central web '24 of the buckstay, which is constituted of I-irons, and by removing parts of .the

is held pressed against the pressure-distributing member 17 by the action of nut 35 on tie rod 8.

As is apparent from the foregoing, the lower tie rod 8, which only needs to be a little more robust 'than an upper tie bar 6, serves simultaneously to hold together both the oven masonry 15 above, and the brickwork layer 11 therebelow which is arranged beneaththe refractory brickwork 15 and only expands slightly. As a result the smaller-expansion layer 11 is precludedfrom breaking away from the larger-expansion oven masonry 15." Moreover, both the bracing for the upper oven masonry 1 and also that of the less highly-expanded lower brickwork layer 11 located beneath this can be adjusted at any time independently of each other by the separately adjustable means in the form of the first nut 35 and the second nut 9 with their extensions 36, 31.

What I claim is: g I l. Bracing means for a masonry coke oven batter which includes an upper oven brickwork structure and a battery foundation, said bracing means comprising upper tie rods pa'ssingjacross the oven roof, and lower tie means disposed along opposite sides of the battery at the region r i of juncture of the lower oven structure with the battery foundation, and both the upper and the lower tie means in bearing relation with vertical buckstays to hold the same applied against the oven brickwork structure along the opposite sides of the .b'atteryfor bracing the brickwork masonry of the oven, characterized in that there is applied in the region of the lower tie means at each side of the battery, between each of the vertical buckstays and the oven brickwork, a pressure distributing member that is movable relative to the vertical buckstays and relative to the lower tie means therefor, in pressing engagement with the oven, brickwork independently of the pressing engagement of the buckstays with the oven brickwork,

dependently, of the buckstays and independently of a cushion member and a second adjustable means also adjustable on the same lower tie means for the respective buckstays for yieldably exerting pressure against corresponding buckstays independently of said first adjustable means, its pressure distributing member, and the brickwork pressed upon by said pressure distributing member.

27 Bracing means for a masonry coke oven battery which includes an upper oven brickwork structure and a battery foundation, said bracing means comprising upper tie rods passing across the oven roof, and lower tie means disposed along opposite sides of the battery at the region of juncture of the lower oven structure with the battery foundation, and both the upper and the lower tie means in bearing relation with vertical buckstays to hold the same applied against the oven brickwork structure along the opposite sides of the battery for bracing the brickwork masonry of the oven, characterized in that there is applied in the region of the lower tie means at each side of the battery, between each of the vertical buckstays and the oven brickwork, a pressure distributing member that is movable relative to the vertical buckstays and relative to the lower tie means therefor, in pressing engagement with the oven brickwork independently of the pressing engagement of the buckstays with the oven brickwork, said pressure distributing member being held against the oven brickwork by a first adjustable means adjustable on the lower tie means for the respective buckstays, independently of the buckstays and independently of a second adjustable means also adjustable on the same lower tie means for the respective buckstays for exerting pressure against corresponding buckstays independently of said first adjustable means, its pressure-distributing member, and the brickwork pressed upon by said pressure distributing member, each of said lower tie means comprises a tie rod extending through its corresponding buckstay at the lower end thereof and having the pressure distributing member therefor passing over a portion of the tie rod in the region intermediate the oven brickwork and an inner portion of the buckstay, and in which said first and said second adjustable means comprise a first adjustable nut and a second adjustable nut separately adjustable on a portion of the tie rod extending beyond an outer portion of the buckstay that is disposed opposite said inner portion thereof, said second adjustable means also including a pressure transmitting extension spacer element and a cushion member interposed between the second nut and the lower end of the buckstay.

3. Coke oven battery as claimed in claim 2, and in which the oven structure includes non-refractory brickwork between the lower oven structure and the foundation of the battery, and the pressure distributing members are applied in pressure exerting engagement with said non-refractory brickwork at the opposite sides of the battery, and in which the lower tie rods on opposite sides of the battery are interconnected with each other by a connecting rod portion which passes through said non-refractory brickwork from one side to the other of the battery.

4. Bracing means as claimed in claim 3, and characterized further in that the connecting rod portions that pass through the n0n-refractory brickwork extend, with a surrounding clearance, through a tube embedded in said non-refractory brickwork.

5. Bracing means as claimed in claim 2, and in which the first adjustable means also comprises a pressure transmitting extension spacer element forming an extension of the first nut and extending therefrom adjustably through the buckstay into pressure exerting relation, beyond the inner side of the buckstay, with said pressure distributing member in pressing engagement with the oven brickwork.

6. Bracing means as claimed in claim 5, and further characterized by said first nut being located in the vicinity of the pressure transmitting extension spacer element of said second nut, and by said spacer extension element of said second nut having means for access therethrough to the first nut for adjustment of the first nut from the exterior of said extension spacer element.

7. Bracer means as claimed in claim 6, characterized in that the spacer element for said second nut comprises a tube of larger diameter than said first nut having an access aperture for insertion of a key wrench.

8. Bracing means according to claim 7, characterized in that each buckstay is forked for the reception of its corresponding lower tie rod and the pressure transmitting extension from the first nut.

9. Bracing means as claimed in claim 8, and in which the forked part of the buckstay is provided with reinforcing walls.

10. Bracing means as claimed in claim 8, and characterized further by the pressure distributing members for the lower tie rods being so disposed in relation to said tie rods as to be held thereby against substantial vertical displacement, and by a bracket rigidly connected and projecting into restraining engagement with the pressure distributing member of its lower tie rod in pressing engagement with the oven brickwork on the inner side of the buckstay to prevent upward displacement of the buckstays.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,563,581 May Dec. 1, 1925 2,147,681 Van Ackeren Feb. 21, 1939 2,234,663 Anderegg Mar. 11, 1941 2,582,238 Dobson Jan. 15, 1952 FOREIGN PATENTS 395,292 Great Britain July 13, 1933 579,268 Great Britain July 29, 1946 

1. BRACING MEANS FOR A MASONRY COKE OVEN BATTERY WHICH INCLUDES AN UPPER OVEN BRICKWORK STRUCTURE AND A BATTERY FOUNDATION, SAID BRACING MANS COMPRISING UPPER TIE RODS PASSING ACROSS THE OVEN ROOF, AND LOWER TIE MEANS DISPOSED ALONG OPPOSITE SIDES OF THE BATTERY AT THE REGION OF JUNCTURE OF THE LOWER OVEN STRUCTURE WITH THE BATTERY FOUNDATION, AND BOTH THE UPPER AND LOWER TIE MEANS IN BEARING RELATION WITH VERTICAL BUCKSTAYS TO HOLD THE SAME APPLIED AGAINST THE OVEN BRICKWORK STRUCTURE ALONG THE OPPOSITE SIDES OF THE BATTERY FOR BRACING THE BRICKWORK MASONRY OF THE OVEN, CHARTACTERIZED IN THAT THERE IS APPLIED IN THE REGION OF THE LOWER TIE MEANS AT EACH SIDE OF BATTERY, BETWEEN EACH OF THE VERTICAL BUCKSTAYS AND THE OVEN BRICKWORK, A PRESSURE DISTRIBUTING MEMBER THAT IS MOVABLE RELATIVE TO THE VERTICAL BUCKSTAYS AND RELATIVE TO THED LOWER TIE MEANS THEREFOR, IN PASSING ENGAGEMENT WITH THE OVEN BRICKWORK INDEPENDENTLY OF THE PRESSING ENGAGEMENT OF THE BUCKSTAYS WITH THE OVEN BRICKWORK, SAID PRESSURE DISTRIBUTING MEMBER BEING HELD AGAINST THE OVEN BRICKWORK BY A FIRST ADJUSTABLE MEANS ADJUSTABLE ON THE LOWER TIE MEANS FOR THE RESPECTIVE BUCKSTAYS, INDEPENDENTLY OF THE BUCKSTAYS AND INDEPENDENTLY OF A CUSHION MEMBER AND A SECOND ADJUSTABLE MEANS ALSO ADJUSTABLE ON THE SAME LOWER TIE MEANS FOR THE RESPECTIVE BUCKSTAYS FOR YIELDABLY EXERTING PRESSURE AGAINST CORRESPONDING BUCKSTAYS INDEPENDENTLY OF SAID FIRST ADJUSTABLE MEANS, ITS PRESSURE DISTRIBUTING MEMBER, AND THE BRICKWORK PRESSED UPON BY SAID PRESSURE DISTRIBUTING MEMBER. 